Angelina Jolie Lines Up Next Directing Project: World War II Drama Unbroken

The Oscar winner is planning to direct the feature-film adaptation of the Laura Hillenbrand best-seller Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption, a true story about Louis Zamperini, a competitor at the 1936 Olympics who, as a U.S. Army Air Forces bombardier during World War II, survived a plane crash and then spent the rest of the war in a Japanese prison camp.

Now that's a story just made for the big screen—and Jolie knew it, too.

"I read Laura Hillenbrand's brilliant book, and I was so moved by Louie Zamperini's heroic story, I immediately began to fight for the opportunity to make this film," Jolie said in a statement. "Louie is a true hero and a man of immense humanity, faith and courage. I am deeply honored to have the chance to tell his inspiring story."

Added Universal Pictures cochairs Adam Fogelson and Donna Langley: "In her life and in her work, Angelina has embraced stories and causes involving great struggle and triumph over tremendous odds and the basic human condition. She has a real ability to illustrate the strength in human spirit which will be essential in telling Lou's story of survival and great heroism." (E! and Universal Pictures are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Jolie, who seemingly spends as much time (if not more) on humanitarian missions in war-torn countries these days as she does acting on movie sets, made her feature directorial debut with the Bosnian war drama In the Land of Blood and Honey.

Hillenbrand, meanwhile, is two for two: Unbroken is only her second novel after Seabiscuit: An American Legend, which also got the Hollywood treatment.